Shoe counter



G. E. BRlTTAlN SHOE COUNTER July .26, 1927.

- Filled May 5, 1926 Famed July 26, 1927. I 1,636,982 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. BRITTAIN, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO IiOUIS H.HARRIMAN, TRUSTEE, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

snon COUNTER.

Application filed May 3, 1926. Serial No. 106,266.

In the manufacture of shoes by the welt the oblique portion of. theshank, and the or McKay process, it has become common sides,thusextended, Would not be effective practice to employ counters, or heelstiifunless held in place by the flange directly eners which have bothside portions extend connected to the bottom thereof and thru for thegreater portion of the length of the which the stitches are passed intothe inner shank of the shoe, or nearly to the ball porsole. Asordinarily constructed, the nartion, instead of having them terminate atthe 'rowest portion of the hank is at approxi-v front end of the heel,as has been customary. mately the middle of the oblique portion If thecounter is properly fitted, such a thereof, so that, in lasting thecounter onto 10 construction hasv been found to have impor the innersole, which will have been placed tant advantages, as compared withformer on the last bottom, the front portions of the practice, as theextended sides of the counter sides of the counter have to be drawninwill stiffen the shank and act to afford a Ward to an extent so thatthey will lie more effective support for the arch of the closely againstthe sides of the last at this 15 foot. Also, the extended sides will actto point. Thisnot only necessitates the draW- hold the top portions ofthe sides of the foot ing in of the counter flange, at its front ends,opening in a low cut shoe, so that these poronto the oblique portion ofthe sole bottom, tions will be as effective in preventing slipbut italso necessitates the longitudinal conping at the heel as the back ofthe shoe. The formance of the flange therewith, and I have 20 appearanceof the shoe will also be substanascertained, that; in ressing down thefront tially improved by the use of this form of end portions of theange to make them concounter. form to the oblique shank portion, otherpor In the manufacture of shoes thus contions of the counter will beforced away from structed, various difliculties have, however, the lastwhen they should conform closely 25 been encountered, andthese'difficulties have thereto. This is likely to occur at any one beenparticularly great in the manufacture or all of three portions,depending on the of pumps or slippers having high heels, in Way thecounter is held; viz, the heel seat which the front portion of the shankpart portion of the flange is likely to be lifted of the shoe isnecessarily curved, or extended from the last, theback portion of thecoun- 3o bli u ly from the level of the heel seat, to ter is likely tobe pushed away from the back provide for the difference in elevationbeend of the last and the top edges of the tween the heel seat and thetread surface at sides are likely to be drawn down and the ball portionof the shoe. These diifithrown out ffom the sides of the last. If theculties, which are present in a lesser degree counter is made to conformat any one of 3.3 in low heeled shoes, are due, primarily, to thesepoints, it will be thrown out at one, or the fact that shoe'counters,when moulded both of the others, and it has usually been a by presentday methods, do not conform to question of choosing the lesser of two orthe last, when the sides are extended more evils. In order that the heelmay be throughout the greater portion of the shank, properly attached,the flange'of the counter 40 and the laster, in attempting to make oneshould rest firmly on the heel of the sole, and

portion conform to the last is likely to throw When this is forced down,after having been another portion out of conformance therelifted by thelaster in conforming the front with Y ends of the flange to the inclinedportion of To explain more specifically, in molding the shank, the backof the counter will be 4 counters in any ordinary counter molding pushedback, so that it will overhang the 1 machine now in use, the inturnedflange is heel seat at the back and somewhat at the wiped in and moldedflat, and it is, so far as sides. As a result, when the shoe isfinished, I am aware, impractical to mold counters in the heel does notsupport the sides and back any other manner. If the flange of the of thecounter, and, when the shoe is worn, counter did not extend beyond theflat porthe bottom portion of the counter will usution of the bottom ofthe last, the difliculally be pushed down in a roll about the side tiesabove referred to would not occur, but, of the heel. If the sides of thecounter are the long sided counter to be effective, should also drawnaway from the last at their top extend for a substantial distance beyondthis edges, the foot opening Will be unduly widpoint, as for exampleopposite the middle of ened, andthe sides of the upper will not he notion between close to the foot of the wearer and will not assist inpreventing slipping at the heel. Added to this, the difficulty of thelasting operation is substantially increased when lon sided counters,such as have previous y been produced, are employed, not only for thereasons already indicated, but for the further reason that it isditlicult for the laster to draw in each end of the counter to the sameextent, so that the edges will be of uniform height at each side. Thisis due to the fact that, as the'top edge of the counter extendscontinuously with the end of the flange, and there is no clear line ofdemarkathe side and the flange at this point, partly due to the factthat, a this point, the side of the last is usually at but a slightangle to the bottom, the laster has no positive guide to indicate theextent to 'hich he must draw in the tips of the sides over the bottom.In consequence he is liable to draw in one side/more than the other,with the result that the top edge of the counter at its front ends, willbe lower at one side than at the other, so that the upper will not besupported at a uniform height at each side and there will be a tendencyfor the upper to become crowded down at the side which is not supportedby the counter at the height intended.

While an apparent method of avoiding these difficulties would be to moldthe shank portion of the flange to conform to the contour of the shoeshank longitudinally, there is no machinery at present available withwhich this could be done, and it it should, in fact, be practical toproduce a machine which would mold the flanges to conform totheinclination of the shank it would be necessary for the countermanufacturer to have a difierent set of molds for each height of heel orshape vof shank used by the shoe manufacturer, and it would be alsonecessary for the latter to keep on hand a very large stock of countersfor the different heights of heels, so that the expense would be greatlyincreased, probably to such an extent as to be prohibitive.

The ob'ects of my invention are to provide a form 0 counter, which maybe molded by resent methods, and has side portions adapted to extendopposite the middle of the oblique portion of the shank of the shoe, andwhich will fit out its entire inner surface, without bending the same toany substantial extent, from the form in which it was molded, so-that,when the'flan'ge is drawn in andfitted to the front ortion of the shank,there will be no tenency' to push any portion thereof away from thelast, whereby all the advantages of a counter of this type may besecured without incurr the disadvantages thereof, including the increasein cost of'the labor of lasting counters of this-type. Also to proly allsnugly .to its last through;

vide a counter of this type which will be so formed that the laster willbe readily able to set the counter in the correct position with relationto the inner sole, so that the side portions thereof will be of uniformheight when the operation is finished.

I accomplish these objects in the manner hereinafter described andillustrated in the accompanying drawing in which 2-- Fig. 1 is a topplan view of a shoe counter embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof, bottom side up.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing the counter in position on a last.

Fig. t is a View, partly in section and partly in perspective, of aportion of the shank part of a shoe in which the counter isincorporated.

According to my invention I provide a counter a, which may be formedfrom any of the materials of which shoe counters are commonlyconstructed, said counter being moulded in the usual U-form to fit theheel portion of a last, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and havingits side portions adapted to extend along both sides of the last, beyondthe heel breast, and opposite the shank portion, nearly to the ballportion, the upper edges of the sides of the counter being extended inthe usual curved formation and terminating at the edges of the innorsole m, which is also'indicated in dotted outline in Fig. 3, as inpositionon the bottom of the last ready for the lasting operation.

In all shoes having a height, as the of theball portion of the fore partmust be the shank portion, which extends properly, from the face of theball portion, to provide for the difference in level, the extent ofinclination being varied according to the height of the heel. That is,with a comparatively low heel, the heel seat portion will be nearlyhorizontal and nearof the inclination of-the shank portion will be inits front portion, as at y in Fig. 3, while, with an extremely highheel, the heel seat and-rear portion of the shank part will be formedat'a considerable inclination to the tread surfaceat the ball, and thisinclination is usually substantiall increased in the front portion ofthe shanh part, but the point where this increase in inclinationbegins'varies with thefldesign of the shoe. Usually the shank portionimmediately adjacent the heelseatis extended in the plane ofthe heelseat and'then is ex-.

ea of substantial. tread surfaces of theeheel andand the adjacent shankheel seat to the ball portion'fmust be formed at an inclination to thetread sur-- of the inclined portion. In

e will be also varied,

blend with the tread surface at the ball, or the front shank portionbeing extended to meet the ball surface at an obtuse angle. That is, thefront portion of the shank part is always inclined to theheel seat, andusually to the shank portion adjacent the heel seat, and, to secure theadvantages of the long sided counter, the sides must be extendedopposite this inclined portion for a substantial distance, the extentvarying according to the character or design of the shoe and usually forat least'one half the length Fig. 3 the front end of the sides are shownas terminating approximately midway of the inclined shank portion 3 andat approximately directly opposite points, indicating common practice.The counter is also provided with the usual inturned flange c, which isadapted to conform to the flat portion of thelast bottom, and extendsfrom the heel end to, or adjacent the point in the shank portion,indicated by dotted line a in Fig. 3, at which the -last bottom extendsobliquely to the ball portion, that is, at the approximate trans verseline at which the shank surface begins to extend at a perceptible angleto the surface of the heel seat and to the adjacent portion of the shanksurface; Throughout this portion the flange is of the usual, andpractically uniform width. From this point, each end portion 03 of theflange is tapered to the adjacent sides, so that the edges of said endportions extend divergently with relation to each other, the obliqueedge of each flange end-portion meeting the' edge of the correspondingside at an angle, the vertex 6 of which is designed to be so locatedthat when the counter is held in its correct position on the last eachvertex, or pointed end 6, will lie directly over the side edge of theinner sole, or on the corner where the bottom surface of the inner solemeets its side edge, at approximately opposite points intermediate theinclined shank portion 3/. It will be understood, however, that theexact extent to which the sides of the counter extend opposite theinclined shank portion will depend on conditions and will be varied inpractice, also, that the angle at which the edges d of thetapered'tlange portion meet the edges of the sides at the points but itis important, in order that all the advantages of the invention may besecured, that these edges meet at a well defined point or angle, whichbears a certain relation to the top edges of the sides, so that, inlasting the shoe, the laster 1 may draw in the sides of the counteruntil these points are directly over the edge of the inner sole, asshown in Fig. 3, and then may secure the counter in-this position, sothat eaclr'side edge thereof will be at the same height, and the counterwill also then be correctly positioned on the last, or held in theposition in which it was designed to be held As thus constructed, whenthe counter is fitted to the last, in performing the lasting operation,the flange 0 thereof will lie flat on-the portion of the sole over theflatportion. of the last bottom which extend from the heel end toapproximately the line a, at which point the shank is extended obliquelyto thetread surface of the 'ball'. From this point the edge of theflange, at each end, is extended obliquely on, or about the shanksurface, which is usually somewhat rounded transversely, so that theflange endportions are laid upon, or bent about the shank surfacesomewhat spirally. In conforming the flange to the sole bottom in thismanner, there will be no tendency to displace the other portions of thecounter,

which will be held firmly on the heel seat and against the side surfaceof the last at all points, so that the lasting operation may beperformed with no more difliculty than if the sides of the counterterminated at the heel breast. The upper attaching stitches,

will pass through the tapered portions of the counter flanges nearly tothe extreme frontends of the sides, as indicated in Fig.

4, and as the short portions of the flange,

beyond the points Where the stitches leave the flange, extend to theextreme ends of the sides, these portions of the counter will besufliciently supported thereby. Also, in

drawing in the. sides of the counter, at their front ends, againstthe'sides of the last, there will be no tendency to draw the sidestoward the bottom, so that there will be no tendency to cause the sidesof the counter to spring away from the sides of the last. In consequencethe sides of the'shoe will fit closely against the 7 sides of the footof the wearer and there will be no tendency of the sides of the shoe tobulge out.

By forming the end portions of the flange so that they taper to thesides of the counter, theflzlength of said sides, or the distance whichthey extend forwardly beneath the upper above the sole, is-actuallyincreased for the same length of blank, so that a substantial saving instock in cutting out the counter blanks may be made, while theeffectiveness of the counter in upper'i's in no way decreased. A firmheel seat is provided and the liability of having the back portion ofthe counter forced away from the back side of the last, inthe astingoperation, is avoided, so that. the back of the shoe will not overhang,or project beyond the back of the heel when finished and the shoeWill-not be oversize in length.

I claim:

lUU

upper edges of the supporting the 1. A shoe counter moulded in- U- formcorresponding to the heel part of a'shoe having portion,

an oblique shank portion extendin rearward from the ball portion, eachof die side portions of the counter being. formed to ex tend throughouta substantial portion of the length of said oblique shank portion andhaving an inturned flange portion formed for engagement with the shoebottom and extending continuously with its lower edges, the end portionsof said flange having their edges extending forwardly in divergentrelation and being formed to meet the .top edges of the sides of thecounter at points corresponding to the edge of the shoe bottom.

2. A shoe counter moulded in U-form to i fit the heelpart of a shoehaving an oblique turned flange for engagement with the shoe bottom, thefront end portions of the flange being formed to extend over saidoblique shank portion and to decrease in width so thattheir edges willmeet the corresponding top edges of the sides at the edge ofthe shoebottom when inposition thereon.

3. A shoe counter adapted to fit the heel part of a shoe having thefront portion of its shank part extending obliquely to the ball andconstructed to have each of its side portions extend to pointsintermediate said shank front portion at each side thereof, with theupper edges terminating at the opposite edges of said front portion, andhaving an inturned flange extending continuously with the under edges ofthe sides and arranged to engage the shoe bottom, said flange being ofapproximately uniform width throughout the main portion thereofcorresponding-to the part of the shoein the rear,

of said shank front portion, and being tapered' from said portion toeach end, so that i the edges of the tapered portions extend obliquelyfrom the main portion to the front ends of the top edges of the sides,respectively.

4. A counter for a shoe having an innersole and having the front portionof its shank part inclined to the surface of the ball portion, saidcounter being moulded to conform to thevheel portion of the shoe andhaving each side portion formed to extend beyond the heel breastposition to points intermediate the inclined portion of the shank part,the back and side portions thereof having an inturned flange adapted forengagement with the bottom side of the inner sole and the front portionsof the flange having their edges extended divergently anrlformed to meetthe top edges of the respective side portions at the adjacent edge ofthe inner sole, when in lasted position.

5. A counter fora shoe having an inner sole and having the front portionof its shank part inclined to the surface of its ball portion, saidcounter being moulded to conform to the heel portion of the shoe andhaving each side portion formed to extend beyond the heel breastposition to points intermediate the inclined portion of the shank part,and the bottom portions thereof having an inturnedflange arranged toengage the bottom surface of the inner sole, the front portions of theflange being formed to extend onto said inclined shank portion and totaper in width, as they extend forwardly thereon, the respective edgesof the tapered portions and the corresponding top edges of the sideportions each being formed to meet at an angle, to provide a pointed endlocated to be positioned at the edge of the inner sole when the counteris in lasted position. i

6'. A counter for a shoe having an inner sole and having the frontportion of its shank par-t inclined to the surface at the ball portion,said counter being moulded to conform to the heel portion'of the shoeand having each of its side portions formed to terminate atapproximately opposite points intermediate said inclined shank portion,the bottom portion of for engagement with the shoe bottom, the frontportions of said flange being formed to decrease in width from pointsapproximately corresponding to the rear end of said inclined shankportion to the front end of the corresponding side portion, so that theflange is without substantial width at its ends, each side portion beingthereby formed I f with a pointed front end so arranged that,

when the counter is in lasted position, said pointed ends will belocated directly over the corresponding side edge of the inner sole.

In testimony whereof, I have signed-my name to this specification.

GEORGE E. BRITTAIN.

